A Welcoming Exterior

Appreciation for this ADU begins at its exterior. A wide walkway invites you to approach the modern, industrial glass door with large, horizontal panes of glass. The door is flanked by two tall windows with similar horizontal panes.

This wide glass entryway serves to usher guests and residents inside, and, once inside, it also connects them back to the outside world by ushering in sunlight and views of nature--a motif mimicked by the two horizontal, clerestory windows to the door’s right. Far to the right, a door to the ADU’s private quarters offers a fun break to the structure’s sleek grey and black color scheme with a pop of light lime green.

A Spacious Interior

The central living area of this ADU, though only one room in the structure’s overall layout, looks almost larger on the interior than the exterior. A number of visual tricks are employed to fool the eye into believing the space is larger than it is: First, walls and ceiling are painted a bright white that allows the sunlight to fully fill the room. Second, the room is not visually divided into multiple areas by walls, and even elements like window and door trim are kept minimal and nearly flush with the wall to allow the eye to travel the space without interruption.

Moving on from the walls, the room’s third trick is its flooring, which is composed of large, light grey tiles that again maximize natural light. Fourth, an unexpected design technique is used--sometimes, small spaces appear larger when outfitted with one large piece of furniture. Although this sounds counterintuitive, placing one large piece--in this case, a pool table--in the room and making sure it isn’t cluttered by other surrounding pieces can make the mind believe the space is larger than it is since it holds a large piece with ease.

But this ADU is not just a masterpiece of design. It is also quite practical. Next to the fun pool table, a small kitchen was installed with a refrigerator and sink, perfect for storing snacks and drinks. Whether used as a rental or as a getaway area for residents of the property’s primary home, this ADU is an inviting and practical place to live and relax.

More Information on ADUs

Want to learn more about additional dwelling units, why they’ve become so popular, and whether it’s a good idea for you to add one to your Atlanta-area home?